Christian Laettner guided Duke University to the final 4 all four years of his career, leading the Blue Devils to back-to-back National Championships in 1991 and 1992. He made 2 game-winning baskets at the buzzer in NCAA Tournament games. The first was against Connecticut in the East Regional final in 1990. Laettner inbounded the ball from half court and launched an off-balance shot from inside the top of the key and found the bottom of the basket. Then there was the amazing overtime victory over Kentucky in the 1992 East Regional final when Laettner recieved a full court pass and sank the turnaround jumper from the top of the key with no time remaining on the clock. Laettner's statistics in the Kentucky game were a mere 10-10 from the free throw line, totalling 31 points.


BEST COLLEGIATE PLAYER EVER?


Christian Laettner is the greatest collegiate basketball player in history. Ok....you can get up off the floor now. Before you ask, I'll answer the 2 questions that must be on your mind:
  • No, this is not a joke!
  • Yes, I am referring to the same Christian Laettner that plays for the Washington Wizards

    After graduating from Duke in 1992, Laettner has matured into a solid professional, and ranks highly on the league's list of premier forwards. Christian's pro career is very sucessful, and although he will never be a candidate for MVP honors, he has positioned himself as a perennial all-star for the next decade; however, it is not his NBA experience which occupies us today.

    OK, get ready because I'm saying it again: "Christian Donald Laettner is the greatest collegiate basketball player of all time" At first this statement may sound more bizarre than the last "Weird Al Yankovic" album, but as we look closer, and begin to analyze Laettner's accomplishments at Duke, this statement seems to carry some validity.

    Christian ended his NCAA career averaging 16.6 ppg, 7.7 boards while shooting 57% from the field, and 80% from the stripe. Laettner is the only player in NCAA history to start in 4 final fours, coming home with back to back victories in the big dance in 1991 and 1992.

    One must acknowledge that on all 4 of those Final Four teams, Laettner played an integral role and in fact,was Duke's main man and team leader from his sophomore season onward. Add to this being only the 3rd Dukie to drain 2000 points and 1000 boards in a career, owning the record for the most career points(407) and games in the NCAA tournament, finishing second in 3 point percentage with an absurd 57% (remember he is 6'11") in 1992, and 123-26 career win-loss record with an astounding 56 home wins in front of the Cameron Crazies against a meager 2 losses. Yes, the Blue Devils were an awesome team with a pragmatic coach, consumate point guards and a blossoming young star (some guy named Grant Hill), but there is no doubt that Laettner was the one constant.

    With or without Hurley, Hill and Ferry, Laettner brought the Devils into the final four. In both his junior and senior seasons, Laettner was a consensus All-American, and in 92 he captured the Naismith and Wooden awards as national player-of-the-year. Most of all he won. Laettner's second trip to the big dance in 1990 ended with a national championship showdown and eventual "s---" kicking against a talent-laden UNLV squad. The Devils were stomped 103-73 (largest margin of victory in NCAA history) and their heart and leadership were under seige. In 1991, Laettner and the Devils returned to the Final Four only to face the name UNLV team, which had been unbeaten in more than a season and a half, in the semifinal. In the biggest upset in recent NCAA history, David beat Goliath, on the strength of 2 Laettner free throws by a score of 79-77. The championship was a mere formality as they beat Kansas, and Laettner was named the tournament's most outstanding player. 1992 was Laettner's last season at Duke, and he went out with a bang.

    Duke spent most of the 1992 season at #1 TO BE CONTINUED

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